Walking By The Spirit
Writer Author Sylvia Huffnagle
Christian Article
:
Bible Teaching
- Fiction No
Gal: 5:1-6: Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. 2: Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. 3: For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4: Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. 5: For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. 6: For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
(From the above passages we learn that for someone to insist upon a male being circumcised in order to receive salvation is erroneous because it is just an outward sign that a person is under the law. And we learn that a person is justified by faith in Christ and no other way.)
7-15: Ye did run well;[1Corinthians 9:24] who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? 8: This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. 9: A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. 10: I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be. 11: And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased. 12: I would they were even cut off which trouble you. 13: For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. 14: For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 15: But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
(This section mentions that we are in a race and must run it according to the rules. Paul also points out that erroneous teaching works as leaven and should be immediately purged. He reminds the Galatians that Christ has given us liberty from a legal written code and our rule of thumb is the summary of the law which is to love our neighbor as ourselves which does not include biting and devouring one another. Now he is going to tell us how to distinguish between the works of the flesh and the works of the spirit.)
5:16: This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
5:17-21: For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18: But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19: Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20: Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21: Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
(Notice--take heed--when anyone does these things, he is operating out of his soul area and not out of his born again spirit.)
22-26: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23: Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24: And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25: If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26: Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
(Paul is saying that if you are walking by your born again spirit these fruits will manifest. One problem we have is that if we see a large amount of one or another of these fruits operating in one person, we have a tendency to expect all Christians to have the same amount and that is not necessarily true.
Each one who walks by the Spirit will manifest some fruits better than others because of our personal bents. One person may be very good at manifesting joy, another at manifesting love or caring, another at showing great meekness and so on. Some fruits will be immature in one Christian and fully matured in another. But all those walking by the Spirit will be exercising these qualities--the degree depends upon the person’s personality, spiritual growth, and opportunities.)
Gal: 6:1: Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
(Notice, there is such a thing as one Christian being more spiritual than another. The amplified Bible says to be defined as spiritual, one must be responsive to and controlled by the Spirit.)
6:2-6: Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 3: For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. 4: But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5: For every man shall bear his own burden. 6: Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
(Paul is saying we all have faults, but we should be striving to overcome them. He says we should try to help one another in this matter. Notice, he did not say, ignore the faults and he did not say excuse them, he said, let us help one another to overcome and let us give others space to grow. He says we should not compare our progress with other people’s progress, but we should compare our fruits with the word of God. Verse 5 is not contradicting verse 2. Verse 5 is talking about our own personal striving to overcome our faults and he said it in context to verses 3 and 4.)
6:7-8: Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8: For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
(All that Paul has admonished the church about in this article has to do with sowing and reaping. To walk by the Spirit and manifest the fruits of the Spirit one must be cultivating their heart. Preparing the ground is accomplished by repenting of erroneous and sinful thinking. Planting involves reading and meditating on God’s Word. Keeping the weeds out consist of protecting your heart from the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lust for other things.)
6:9-10: And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 10: As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
(If you do these things in Galatians you will be able to resist fainting and can look forward to reaping a good harvest.)
Sylvia Huffnagle
Editor's Comment:
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